I’m a first year vet at Cambs and here’s some application advice that I found really useful when applying!
I think the most important thing is to make sure that your biology and chemistry knowledge is very, very sharp. I think a big mistake a lot of people make is they get too into further reading that they don’t focus on their a level content and therefore struggle to answer some of the easier questions in an interview and can’t think laterally and bring in things they already know. They might also ask you a to do a calculation so be prepared to do some mental maths.
That being said, further reading is useful for bringing into interviews, especially in case a question comes up that relates to some content. I think I looked at brachycephalics, pregnancy immunology, diabetes in dogs and cats, watched inside nature’s giants, the six hallmarks of cancer, vet times and read a very short introduction to veterinary medicine and the man who mistook his wife for a hat. (There’s probably more that I looked at but this is what I can remember off the top of my head).
The key thing they want to see in interviews is potential. They don’t want someone who can come in and answer every question instantly and perfectly- the whole point of coming to uni is to learn. Instead they want to see your thinking process eg I don’t know how A leads to B, but I do know that C can lead to D so maybe A can follow a similar approach. Never just go “I dunno” and shrug when you’re faced with a difficult question, that will reflect badly on you and imply that you’re simply not interested in going here.
For your personal statement, try to link what you saw/did on work experience to what you have learned about the veterinary profession and what further reading (including scientific) that has led you on to do. Know your personal statement off by heart and be fully prepared to be grilled on it- they will almost certainly ask a few questions from it that link to further reading and they want to see that you’re genuinely confident in what you’ve put down instead of writing it to make you look good.
In the NSAA, make sure your biology, chemistry and maths knowledge is up to speed and practice past papers. I found I was always quite pressured for time in the maths section so try getting good at answering questions quickly.
Finally, try to calm down and smile! The interviewers are likely to be potential supervisors who will want to see if you’re nice to teach. They don’t want to get someone who’s cold and cocky either- you’re going into a profession where you’ll need empathy and to be reassuring so not smiling much etc will not reflect very well on your personality as a vet.
I think the most important thing is to make sure that your biology and chemistry knowledge is very, very sharp. I think a big mistake a lot of people make is they get too into further reading that they don’t focus on their a level content and therefore struggle to answer some of the easier questions in an interview and can’t think laterally and bring in things they already know. They might also ask you a to do a calculation so be prepared to do some mental maths.
That being said, further reading is useful for bringing into interviews, especially in case a question comes up that relates to some content. I think I looked at brachycephalics, pregnancy immunology, diabetes in dogs and cats, watched inside nature’s giants, the six hallmarks of cancer, vet times and read a very short introduction to veterinary medicine and the man who mistook his wife for a hat. (There’s probably more that I looked at but this is what I can remember off the top of my head).
The key thing they want to see in interviews is potential. They don’t want someone who can come in and answer every question instantly and perfectly- the whole point of coming to uni is to learn. Instead they want to see your thinking process eg I don’t know how A leads to B, but I do know that C can lead to D so maybe A can follow a similar approach. Never just go “I dunno” and shrug when you’re faced with a difficult question, that will reflect badly on you and imply that you’re simply not interested in going here.
For your personal statement, try to link what you saw/did on work experience to what you have learned about the veterinary profession and what further reading (including scientific) that has led you on to do. Know your personal statement off by heart and be fully prepared to be grilled on it- they will almost certainly ask a few questions from it that link to further reading and they want to see that you’re genuinely confident in what you’ve put down instead of writing it to make you look good.
In the NSAA, make sure your biology, chemistry and maths knowledge is up to speed and practice past papers. I found I was always quite pressured for time in the maths section so try getting good at answering questions quickly.
Finally, try to calm down and smile! The interviewers are likely to be potential supervisors who will want to see if you’re nice to teach. They don’t want to get someone who’s cold and cocky either- you’re going into a profession where you’ll need empathy and to be reassuring so not smiling much etc will not reflect very well on your personality as a vet.
Hi @Vetgirl07, I’m starting at Cambridge in the autumn. Any tips on how to prepare? Is there anything I should read up on over the summer? Also are there any textbooks I should get or just wait until I get there? Thanks!
Original post by 231Oaks
Hi @Vetgirl07, I’m starting at Cambridge in the autumn. Any tips on how to prepare? Is there anything I should read up on over the summer? Also are there any textbooks I should get or just wait until I get there? Thanks!
Hi,
Congratulations on your offer! I am sure you’ve heard this a lot, but please don’t worry about reading up on anything before you start and enjoy your summer! They start with the basics and build up a lot of what you already know. The only thing that might be worth looking into is animal management as this topic is thrown at you a bit in the first term so it might be helpful to know the basics eg general husbandry, breeding cycles etc.
What I really wish I’d done to prepare before I started was trying and testing methods of working and deciding what’s best for you. I didn’t realise until second term how helpful I found quizlet and anki (both are free flash card apps/ websites) and I think if I’d used them earlier then I would have found the course more manageable.
I’m terms of textbooks, if everything is back to some sort of normality by September, then you will theoretically have access to all of the libraries across Cambridge (that’s around 30!) so I wouldn’t worry about buying any, especially as textbooks can cost around £80. A couple I used in first year were Dyce-Sack-Wensing textbook of veterinary anatomy, Pasquini anatomy of domestic animals and the Albert’s Molecular biology of the cell (a must have for MIMs!). Although it’s not technically a textbook, I found the Saunder’s veterinary anatomy colouring book very helpful for revising anatomy. Take all of this with a pinch of salt though, I know some people who love these textbooks and others who much prefer different ones so it’s all about personal preference.
Original post by Vetgirl07
Hi,
Congratulations on your offer! I am sure you’ve heard this a lot, but please don’t worry about reading up on anything before you start and enjoy your summer! They start with the basics and build up a lot of what you already know. The only thing that might be worth looking into is animal management as this topic is thrown at you a bit in the first term so it might be helpful to know the basics eg general husbandry, breeding cycles etc.
What I really wish I’d done to prepare before I started was trying and testing methods of working and deciding what’s best for you. I didn’t realise until second term how helpful I found quizlet and anki (both are free flash card apps/ websites) and I think if I’d used them earlier then I would have found the course more manageable.
I’m terms of textbooks, if everything is back to some sort of normality by September, then you will theoretically have access to all of the libraries across Cambridge (that’s around 30!) so I wouldn’t worry about buying any, especially as textbooks can cost around £80. A couple I used in first year were Dyce-Sack-Wensing textbook of veterinary anatomy, Pasquini anatomy of domestic animals and the Albert’s Molecular biology of the cell (a must have for MIMs!). Although it’s not technically a textbook, I found the Saunder’s veterinary anatomy colouring book very helpful for revising anatomy. Take all of this with a pinch of salt though, I know some people who love these textbooks and others who much prefer different ones so it’s all about personal preference.
Congratulations on your offer! I am sure you’ve heard this a lot, but please don’t worry about reading up on anything before you start and enjoy your summer! They start with the basics and build up a lot of what you already know. The only thing that might be worth looking into is animal management as this topic is thrown at you a bit in the first term so it might be helpful to know the basics eg general husbandry, breeding cycles etc.
What I really wish I’d done to prepare before I started was trying and testing methods of working and deciding what’s best for you. I didn’t realise until second term how helpful I found quizlet and anki (both are free flash card apps/ websites) and I think if I’d used them earlier then I would have found the course more manageable.
I’m terms of textbooks, if everything is back to some sort of normality by September, then you will theoretically have access to all of the libraries across Cambridge (that’s around 30!) so I wouldn’t worry about buying any, especially as textbooks can cost around £80. A couple I used in first year were Dyce-Sack-Wensing textbook of veterinary anatomy, Pasquini anatomy of domestic animals and the Albert’s Molecular biology of the cell (a must have for MIMs!). Although it’s not technically a textbook, I found the Saunder’s veterinary anatomy colouring book very helpful for revising anatomy. Take all of this with a pinch of salt though, I know some people who love these textbooks and others who much prefer different ones so it’s all about personal preference.
Thank you so much!
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- Vet uni a levels
- Veterinary Science: A levels?
- Is UniAdmissions good? Is it even worth it?
- gsces
- Cambridge Veterinary Medicine entry tips!!!
- When to apply for university
- Application deadlines for 2024 courses
- med to vet school?
- Enquiry for September 24 intake
- Things I could do at 16 to give myself the best possible chance at success?
- Your Supercurriculars for Oxbridge
- Changes to Cambridge Entrance Exam (Eng/ChemEng/Science/Vet)
- Cambridge resit?
- HELP PLEASE not doing Yr 13 A-levels and going into Yr 14
- Applying to veterinary medicine with lower grades
- today received email regarding 2025 pre-registration admissions tests for Cambridge
- Confusion about Imperial College deadlines
- IGCSE retakes
- Please help signing this PETITION !
- Please help signing this petition
Latest
Trending
Last reply 1 week ago
I don't meet the entry requirements for my GCSEs, what should I do?Trending
Last reply 1 week ago
I don't meet the entry requirements for my GCSEs, what should I do?
